The New Trio
by SkoomaForSale
Summary: WIP/Hiatus How will Hogwarts react as a New Golden Trio emerge in the absence of Harry, Ron and Hermione? began on 6/8/07
1. Chapter 1

The New Trio

The New Trio

Chapter One

The scarlet steam engine whizzed through miles of countryside, making its way to Hogwarts. Rain pounded its windows, blurring the view of the barren land outside. Ginny Weasley sat in an empty compartment, her head leaning against the cold window. The weather outside reflected the way she felt on the inside perfectly. A small tear trickled down her cheek and fell off her face, splashing onto the ground.

"Harry…" she thought, "Where are you?" It had hit her this morning as she walked downstairs to breakfast and didn't see the Trio's smiling faces laughing up at her, that they weren't going back to Hogwarts. She had known that they were planning it, yes. But she had thought, really hoped, that they would forget what they were doing and come back to Hogwarts. The moment she realized that the Trio wasn't in the house, her worst fear was confirmed; they were trying to find Voldemort.

Once she thought this, she couldn't hold back her tears any longer. Great floods of tears erupted from her eyes. Her body shook with the force of her sobs. The compartment door slid open virtually silently and revealed two figures that greatly comforted Ginny.

"Ginny?" the pale, round face of Neville Longbottom asked.  
"Are you O.K.?" Luna Lovegood looked down at her with wide eyes, her dirty blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. Neville and Luna exchanged a worried glance, then turned back to Ginny.  
"I- I'm fine."  
"You don't look like you are fine." Neville said.  
"Look, I'm ok," Ginny said, wiping the tears off of her face. Her breathing became normal, and the tears slowly subsided.  
"Are you sure? You don't look ok. People usually don't cry for no reason. Unless a spiny-tailed tear fiend gets inside their tear ducts, but they aren't native to London. Daddy and I went looking for them in Egypt one summer. They are fascinating creatures really." Ginny and Neville glanced at each other, but quickly had to turn away to hide their smiles.

"So Ginny, now that we are sure that it's not a spiny-tailed tear thing, why were you crying? And where are Harry, Hermione, and Ron?"  
"They... They didn't come back to Hogwarts this year."  
"What!?" Neville and Luna both shouted, shock and confusion written on their faces.  
"They didn't come back because… Because they have to find Voldemort and hopefully kill him." A stunned silence followed her statement and the use of Voldemort's name.  
Finally, Luna broke the silence and asked," Is that why you are crying? Because you miss Harry?"  
"It's not only that. I'm worried that he might be killed. Or Ron and Hermione might be killed. I can't stand to lose them. And… I'm worried that when Harry comes back he… He might not love me anymore." A small tear slid down her cheek as she spoke. Luna began to say something, but Neville cut her off.  
"Ginny, look at me." She looked up into his bright blue eyes. She could see her brown eyes reflected in his eyes. "Ginny, the happiest that I have ever seen him these past years was when you two were dating. I heard him tell Ron that he loved you, and always will. He said that he wasn't happy without you. You know that Harry would never stop loving you." More tears fell from Ginny's brown eyes, but these were tears of joy.

"Thank you Neville… You know, it might just be me, but I think you have changed."  
"Well, ever since I heard that Snape had become Headmaster-" Whatever Neville was going to say was drowned out by Ginny's loud shout of "What!?" A feeling of dread washed over her in waves, her brain numb from disbelief.  
"Did you say Snape? As in Severus Snape, the lying conniving that killed Dumbledore and sliced off George's ear? That slimy grease ball that-"

"Ah ah ah Miss. Weasley. I don't think you want to finish that sentence. That is if you know what's good for you, you filthy little blood traitor!" The deep rasping voice of Gregory Goyle came from the open compartment door. He has stepped in without anyone hearing him while Ginny pointed out all the wonderful qualities of their new Headmaster. He looked different somehow; maybe it was the lack of Malfoy ordering him around, but he looked more confident and if possible, more vile than ever before. The sneer on his face was enough to make Ginny want to curse him into oblivion. Apparently this thought was shared by everyone sitting in the compartment.

At the same time, three people shouted spells, three wands flashed brightly, and three spells collided with Goyle's face. He screamed in agony and fear as his face started sprouting tentacles, his ears suddenly turned into cactuses, and giant bogeys with bat wings began attacking his face. Through his screams he was able to shout, " You'll regret this! Times are changing at Hogwarts! Dumbledore isn't there to help you anymore!" He then stumbled out of the compartment and retreated farther down the train, his screams fading as he got farther away. His words, however, were still lingering in the compartment like a bad odor. Ginny was on the verge of tears again as it hit her for the first time since the funeral; Dumbledore is gone. By the looks on Luna and Neville's faces, she assumed that they were felling the same way. Finally, Neville spoke.  
"Hogwarts without Dumbledore and the Trio… I have a feeling this will be an interesting year." The look on his face scared Ginny.  
"Neville, what do you have planned?"  
"Let's just say that Snape is going to have one hell of a bad year!"

3


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

"Neville… What do you have planned?" Ginny asked again. She was worried by the look on his face. He refused to tell her what he was planning, and just smiled mischievously at her. When he continued to be stubborn and not answer, she turned instead to Luna.

"Do you know what he has planned?" Luna had been staring out the window while Ginny was interrogating Neville, looking distracted. Now she turned her pale face towards her, her eyes filled with tears. She hastily wiped them away with the back of her hand and smiled at Ginny.

"I'm sorry… What did you say?"

"Luna… What's wrong?"

"Nothing… It's nothing. I just miss my father, that's all. No, I don't know what Neville is planning. He refuses to tell me as well." She jokingly glared at Neville; the look on her face was enough to make everyone burst into laughter. They spent the rest of the trip laughing at jokes and exchanging stories from their summers.

When the dark silhouette of Hogwarts loomed in the night sky, they quickly changed into their school robes and waited for the train to stop. When it finally screeched to a halt at Hogsmede Station, they rolled their bulky luggage into the crowded hallway. As they passed different compartments, they were greeted in two ways: either they were greeted with happiness at seeing three familiar faces, or they were glared at and booed by angry Slytherins. They met the friendly people with open arms and kind words; their response to the Slytherins, however, was the exact opposite. Most of the time they just ignored them, but the more persistent of the groups had to be shunned away with threats and a reminder of what happened to Goyle. Once they had succeeded in fighting through the crowd, they stepped down into the freezing rain and onto the platform. Ginny looked around for the hulking shape of Hagrid and listened for his coarse voice calling "Firs' years, over here!" but it never came. Instead, a small squeaky voice carried over the thunderclaps of the still stormy sky.

"All right you little midgets! First years get your sorry behinds over here! And hurry up will ya? Its freezing out here and I'm getting wet!" Ginny looked around in surprise and anger and spotted a short, round man standing under a striped awning that was set up at the side of the platform. His bristly mustache fluttered as he yelled at the children crowding around him. Ginny had stopped in her tracks as she realized that Hagrid wasn't there. People were prodding her painfully in the back, urging her to move so they could get to a dry carriage. She moved, but without realizing where her legs were taking her because her internal anger was drowning everything else out.

"What did they do to Hagrid? They couldn't have done anything to him. It would take more than a few pathetic little Death Eaters to take him down. But if they have done anything to him, I promise, I will personally make sure to get revenge on those cowardly, evil, little-"

"Ginny!" Someone calling her name and poking her sharply in the ribs brought her out of her thoughts.

"Ginny? Are you back with us?" Neville's scared face filled her vision. He moved slightly and she saw Luna standing behind him, looking worried.

"Yeah I was just… I'm just really worried that something bad might of happened to Hagrid. I couldn't stand not having him here this year. But, if anything has happened to him, I will curse them so hard that extra large Bat Bogeys will chase them for weeks!"

Luna smiled brightly at Ginny's comment and said reassuringly," You know that they couldn't do anything to Hagrid. His giant blood makes him nearly invincible to most spells. The only way that they could do him serious harm is if they have an army of Heliopes, but I doubt that they do because they are extremely rare."

Avoiding Neville's eyes and stifling a laugh, Ginny said, "Thanks guys… I'm just really worried about everyone… But I know that everything will be o.k…" Ginny smiled at them, but on the inside she still worried about everyone she knew and loved. Her worries were pushed aside however when Neville spoke, "Let's go get a carriage. I'm sure they will be dryer than standing in the rain." Ginny smiled, and thought," I shouldn't worry so much...Things really will be o.k. Especially since I have my two best friends here with me." She smiled and linked arms with Neville and Luna and together they traveled up to Hogwarts.

The Great Hall was warm and had the welcoming look of a Grandparent's house with a fire burning merrily in the fireplace. The aroma of food drifted through the open doors of the castle and gently wafted into peoples faces, making their stomachs growl with hunger. The warmth of the castle was a welcome relief from the freezing rain outside. The Trio all sat at the Gryffindor table, even though Luna was in Ravenclaw House. She felt that she should stick with her two best friends and Hogwarts, and no teacher could ever separate her from them. Even if they made her sit at the Ravenclaw table, she still would know that she had friends, that thing that had eluded her for so long. She smiled at Ginny and Neville as she thought this and the beamed back at her. All three of them looked up at the teachers table from where a gloom seemed to radiate out, and let out gasps of horror as they only saw three or four friendly faces in the crowd of Death Eaters sitting at the table. There was Professor McGonagall, looking extremely uncomfortable and worried. On her right was Professor Sprout, her hat patched and dirty as usual, but the smile that frequently adorned her face was now replaced with a look of sorrow. Next to her sat Professor Trelawney, her eyes slightly crossed and an almost empty sherry bottle clutched in her hand. Professor Flitwick was barely visible on Trelawney's right. His mustache fluttered as he let out a frustrated sigh. Hagrid was no where to be seen. His absence sent a shiver of concern down the Trio's spines. They exchanged a worried glance, then continued to examine the staff.

In the center of the table, seated on the golden throne of the Headmaster, sat Severus Snape. His dark, greasy hair hung in two curtains at the side of his face. His crooked, hook-like nose turned up at the sight of so many happy children. The way he sat in Dumbledore's old seat, a look of triumph written on his face, disgusted the teachers and students. The entire table to his left was filled with cruel faced Death Eaters. All of their faces were easily recognized from the wanted posters the Ministry had posted before Voldemort took over. He made sure to place well known Death Eaters at the school, just to let everyone know who was in control. Several men and women sat talking to each other at the table, seemingly oblivious to all the glares they were receiving. However, there was one man that sat at the end of the table who returned the glares of the children. Sometimes he glared so fiercely at a child that they had to turn away, shaking.

Ginny stopped looking at the top table, fury and disgust yet again filling her. Luna and Neville looked like they felt the same way.

"Why don't the teachers do something? How can they just sit there and watch as Snape runs the school?" Ginny finally burst out, breaking the silence that was hanging between them. Neville looked at her, mildly surprised and said,

"Think about it. Voldemort has taken over the government, the school, and even the way people think. The teachers know this, and they know that if they oppose him… Well, let's just say that there are plenty of Death Eaters willing to take the place of a teacher that has mysteriously "disappeared", if you know what I mean." Ginny and Luna sat in silence, thinking about what he said. The more they thought about it, the more they knew that it was true.

"Wow Neville. Ginny was right; you have changed!" Luna said, looking at him with more respect than ever before. Before she could say anything else, the small Death Eater from the train station waddled in. Following him were the new first years, looking scared as they wondered what was going to happen.

The Death Eater sat a three-legged stool and an old patched wizard hat in the middle of the hall. Everyone stared at it, waiting for some sign of-

_**Authors Note: I had a Sorting song written here, but decided to take it out. All you need to know is that it told them to fight back, just not in so many words. XD END A/N**_

A stunned silence filled the Hall as the Sorting Hat's words lingered in the air. Luna, Neville, and Ginny looked at each other, shock and surprise written on their faces. Finally, Ginny spoke.

"Wow… The hat really branched out this year didn't he?"

"Yeah," Luna said. "It sounds like he wants us to fight."

"Well, that is what I was going to-" Whatever Neville was going to do was drowned out by Snape's magically magnified voice shouting, "SILENCE!" The Trio's conversation wasn't the only one in the hall, but the buzzing of conversation stopped as abruptly as if someone had thrown a switch. Every face in the Hall was turned towards Snape. He gave a slight nod to the Death Eater on the floor. He nodded, cleared his throat, and unrolled a long parchment.

"Now you little midgets listen up, because I'm only going to say this once! When I call your name, you will come and sit on the stool. I will place the hat on your small, ugly heads and it will tell you what house you belong in. As far as I can see, only one or two of you deserve to be in the noble house of Slytherin, but maybe I am wrong. Now, Rusty Allen, get up here!" The teachers exchanged disgusted looks at how the children were being treated. Before they could say anything though, the cruel Death Eater at the end of the table glared at them and they immediately turned back to watch the Sorting. Rusty Allen got sorted into Hufflepuff with many boo's and lots of catcalling from the Death Eaters. The Sorting continued, and whenever anyone was sorted into Slytherin, the Death Eaters cheered with as if they were members of that house. When they were sorted anywhere else, they booed and jeered as the little kid walked to his or her table.

Anger and a will to follow what the Sorting Hat said grew in Ginny, Luna, and Neville. By the time that Yomadod, Ryan was Sorted (Ravenclaw!), they were whispering to each other, not paying any attention to the food that appeared on the table.

"I knew that this was going to happen! I was planning on re-forming Dumbledore's Army anyway, and now that people have seen the way that they treat children, they will definitely want to join!" Neville whispered excitedly to the two girls. His round face was alight at the thought of rebellion, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.

"Yes! I am definitely for reforming the D.A.! It will be like having friends again!" Luna said excitedly, her thoughts wandering to the happy times she would spend with people that didn't make fun of her.

"When will we meet first?" Ginny asked, plans already forming in her head about what they were going to do to get revenge on Snape and his Death Eater buddies.

"Well, what about tomorrow? Classes don't start until Monday, so we won't have to worry about people missing class."

"O.K. It will have to be tomorrow night though, so we will be harder to catch. All three of us need to start telling people what we are doing."

"Are we still meeting in the Room of Requirement?" Luna asked, coming out of her daydreams.

"Yes, but I think we need to meet around midnight."

"That sounds great," Ginny said. "Before we meet though, I want to go and see if Hagrid is still at Hogwarts."

"We'll come with you. We want to see him too." Ginny smiled as Neville nodded to show that he agreed with Luna. She pulled a plate of treacle tart towards her, and thought of Harry.

"For you, Harry," she thought. "We will fight for you." Miles and miles away, Harry Potter was staring at a dot on a grubby piece of parchment labeled "Ginny Weasley." A smile came to his lips as he thought of her.

"For you Ginny… I fight Voldemort so we can be happy together."


End file.
